BOSTON -- As Lent begins in this Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Archdiocese of Boston is once again inviting all the faithful to take advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation through its The Light is On for You initiative.

On Wednesdays during Lent beginning Feb. 17 and concluding March 23, every parish church and chapel in the archdiocese will remain open for confessions from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

In addition, as part of Pope Francis's "24 Hours for the Lord" initiative, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley has asked parishes to hold a 24-hour confession period beginning on the evening of March 4 and concluding the following evening.

"Pope Francis has called us to live this Year of Mercy with a renewed attention on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In 'The Face of Mercy,' he exhorts us to 'place the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the center once more in such a way that it will enable people to touch the grandeur of God's mercy with his own hands. For every penitent, it will be a source of true interior peace,'" the cardinal wrote in a letter to parishes in the archdiocese.

In the letter, Cardinal O'Malley thanked priests for their extra commitments during the season of Lent, noted the importance of confession.

"Among our greatest gifts as priests is the opportunity to bring the Lord's healing and reconciliation to the people we serve, including those who may have been away from the sacrament," he said.

Information on the initiative including "Frequently Asked Questions about the Sacrament of Penance" and parish resources is available at the TheLightIsOnForYou.org.